The Erasmus Without Paper (EWP) architecture is constructed in such a way that you can use a combination of systems (Erasmus Dashboard, 3rd party mobility software, in-house built mobility software) for exchanging mobility-related information. The complete mobility process is cut into several sub-processes (in technical terms APIs) that require a data exchange between the sending and the receiving institution. This makes it possible to use different tools for different sub-processes. In order to all link them together and to identify students, the unique European Student Identifier implemented by the MyAcademicID project is of crucial importance.
The sub-processes are the following:
- Institutional information and contacts
- Mobility factsheet (default data on Inter-institutional agreements)
- Approval of Inter-institutional agreements by both partners (online)
- Learning agreements (online approval)
- Nominations
- Making courses from the courses catalogue available (link with learning agreement and Transcript of Records)
- Transcript of Records for incoming students
It is perfectly possible to use a commercial system for institutional info and contacts, approval of Inter-institutional agreements and nominations but use the Erasmus+ Dashboard for sharing fact sheet information and the Online Learning Agreement connected to the Erasmus+ Dashboard for learning agreements. Transcript of Records could be shared directly from the in-house Student Information System.
A combination of systems is only possible for different sub processes (APIs or combinations of APIs). It is not possible to connect for one and the same sub-process via different tools.
Combining tools does not mean that data can automatically be migrated from one tool to another. For example: if you manage your learning agreements in the Erasmus Dashboard, the courses kept in the Erasmus Dashboard will not be automatically transferred to your in-house system that you want to use for issuing a Transcript of Records.